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AP Comp Sci Principles online (official) course with grading?


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I found the one at Code.org but it looks like it's just the content, with no grading, and would have to be used under an approved teacher to be counted as official AP course...

 

I feel the same about the Edhesive (in fact I am totally confused about how Edhesive works)

 

Any ideas?  My son is already taking AP Comp Sci A this year.

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It is not too big a deal although the deadline is in January. Sebastian (a lady) wrote out a very detailed guide to AP submission.

 

The AP principles is generally viewed as being less challenging than the AP computer science and I am not are if someone who wants to go into computer science will get credit for it.

It might be better to do something like data structures using dual enrollment.

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We're doing Edhesive AP Computer Science. I asked my ds to describe how it works. Here's what he said: They watch videos and coding activities for each lesson. After every few lessons there's a graded assignment and quiz. They can ask questions on the forum for help on assignments and receive help from TA's and other students. They can keep working on the assignment until they get the grade they want. There are exams every unit there's an exam.

Edited by Maryam
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I feel that is such a brave bold thing...is it a big deal?  I never even considered it.  

 

ETA: Sorry, I didn't notice the "Principles" in the title.  My post was directed at CS A.  

 

If you are willing to go with a specific curriculum, it can be very easy.  I love Java Methods by the Litvins and have used it in my classes.  They have an already approved syllabus, so all you have to do is e-mail them for the number and do the audit paperwork.  It is automatic approval.  The information is here:

http://www.skylit.com/javamethods/syllabi/index.html

 

Your student would need to get the book and follow the syllabus, but can use as much additional information/videos/classwork as they would like.

Edited by Joules
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Please educate me on the AP CS exams (just personal curiosity, my DS is not taking any AP CS)...it was my understanding that AP CS Principles is an alternative to AP CS A (or that AP CS A is slightly higher in level?). Would a student need to take both? I understood it to be similar to SAT Math 1 and SAT Math 2 where if a student plans to take the latter, the former would not be necessary. Did I misunderstand this?

 

Question based on this (edweek article) and this (college confidential).

Edited by quark
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Please educate me on the AP CS exams (just personal curiosity, my DS is not taking any AP CS)...it was my understanding that AP CS Principles is an alternative to AP CS A (or that AP CS A is slightly higher in level?). Would a student need to take both? I understood it to be similar to SAT Math 1 and SAT Math 2 where if a student plans to take the latter, the former would not be necessary. Did I misunderstand this?

 

Question based on this (edweek article) and this (college confidential).

 

From the College Board:

"The AP Computer Science A course and exam focus on computing skills related to programming in Java. The new AP Computer Science Principles course will complement AP Computer Science A and will focus on the broader aspects of computing, including computing with large-scale data, the Internet, and cybersecurity."

 

 

I haven't gone through the audit, but the new class looks like a survey of the field of computer science.  I haven't seen any colleges offer credit for it yet, but I would guess the equivalent college class would be a 1000 level (1 or 2 hour credit) intro-to-your-major type class.  

 

There seems to be some overlap. The Java class (CS A) focuses almost entirely on programming and theoretical programming structures, but the first chapter/week is an overview of computer science.  The Principles class covers programming concepts, but with pseudo-code and flow charts instead of a specific language (ETA: It does look like the teacher chooses a language for examples and projects).  Principles also covers things completely left out of CS A ("computing with large-scale data, the Internet, and cybersecurity." ), but at a survey level.

 

I would say that Principles might be a slow intro into the field if one is not ready for CS A, but could be skipped by someone who is already into computer programming.  I would think that one who has passed CS A could pick up the concepts from Principles without going back and taking the class.

Edited by Joules
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Thanks everyone.

 

My son is finishing AP Comp Sci this year in 9th.

 

Yes my son looked at the College Board website and he feels AP comp Sci Principles is actually going to look counter productive for him as a future Comp Sci Major. He said he almost thought it would look bad.

 

So he is thinking he can take a Discreet Math of some sort next year. Schmoop has a Finite Math course (not AP) that I think covers a lot of what Linear Algebra would cover, and the pre - req is Algebra 2 which he is finishing this year.

 

Would anyone care to look at it for me and see what you think? I don't know enough about computers, math and Discreet Maths to tell if it's worth it.

Edited by Calming Tea
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So he is thinking he can take a Discreet Math of some sort next year. Schmoop has a Finite Math course (not AP) that I think covers a lot of what Linear Algebra would cover, and the pre - req is Algebra 2 which he is finishing this year.

 

Would anyone care to look at it for me and see what you think? I don't know enough about computers, math and Discreet Maths to tell if it's worth it.

 

Finite Math would definitely be a good choice for a computer science major.  

 

It's hard to tell the level since no textbook is mentioned, but the topics on this class are pretty standard:

http://www.shmoop.com/courses/finite-math-college/

 

It also looks like it might provide dual enrollment credit, if he is interested in paying for that.

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From the College Board:

 

I haven't gone through the audit, but the new class looks like a survey of the field of computer science.  I haven't seen any colleges offer credit for it yet, but I would guess the equivalent college class would be a 1000 level (1 or 2 hour credit) intro-to-your-major type class.  

 

AP Comp Sci Principles looks more like a GenEd course for non CS majors.

 

https://www.quora.com/What-are-your-thoughts-on-AP-Computer-Science-Principles-as-compared-to-AP-Computer-Science-A

 

https://csprinciples.cs.washington.edu/

Edited by MarkT
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Finite Math would definitely be a good choice for a computer science major.  

 

It's hard to tell the level since no textbook is mentioned, but the topics on this class are pretty standard:

http://www.shmoop.com/courses/finite-math-college/

 

It also looks like it might provide dual enrollment credit, if he is interested in paying for that.

Thank you Joules! I really appreciate you taking the time to look at it.  There are a lot of Discreet Maths offered at AOPS but he doens't like their Discovery Method, or their way of teaching the course through the online class.  

 

THanks Mark T for also weighing in!

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